Day: May 8, 2025
8 May 2025
Several of Parliament’s most active and committed supporters of animal welfare, from across the political spectrum, joined us in the House of Commons to learn how a number of outdated and unnecessary animal tests could be ended immediately, through our RAT (Replace Animal Tests) List.
In a productive roundtable discussion, the MPs were shown how six animal tests – which use approximately 80,000 animals every year – are still conducted in the UK despite the availability of appropriate non-animal replacements. The detailed and well-informed session covered what the six tests on animals involve, the barriers to progress, and practical steps for securing an end to the unacceptable practise of testing on animals where replacements are available.
Those present included Steve Race, a member of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee; Alex Mayer, who played a leading role in our petition to the United Nations for a global ban on animal testing for cosmetics, in partnership with The Body Shop, which received eight million signatures to become the largest animal-related petition in history; and Irene Campbell, who Chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on Phasing Out Animal Experiments in Medical Research, and led the recent debate on banning testing on dogs.
In recent years, the development of non-animal methods has increased significantly, and they can now replace, wholly or in part, a number of tests on animals across several product sectors.
However, our experience has been that actually replacing tests on animals takes much longer than it should. We have seen how non-animal methods available for assessing skin irritation, skin sensitisation and batch safety have taken years to be adopted and we know that tests on animals are still being conducted to provide this information. This is unacceptable.
In many cases, the problem lies with a lack of clarity from, and enforcement by, regulatory authorities, as well as the absence of a joined-up approach for acceptance of non-animal methods around the world. Since non-animal tests can be cheaper, faster and more accurate than the tests on animals they replace, it is in the interests of animal welfare and good science to speed up their acceptance and to expand their use.
Overcoming these remaining hurdles, so that these tests on animals can finally be fully replaced, is a matter of urgency.
The six tests we discussed were for the assessment of skin irritation, skin sensitisation and eye irritation; routine batch testing of veterinary vaccines; potency testing of Botox samples; and the production of antibodies.
Botox batch testing involves injecting Botulinum toxin into the abdomens of mice. Over three days they become increasingly paralysed, and if left the mice given the higher-level dose will slowly suffocate to death. Approximately half of the mice die during the test and all survivors are killed at the end of the test. Nearly 50,000 of these tests were carried out in the UK in 2023, despite the world’s major Botox manufacturers developing an alternative cell-based test.
For antibody production, animals – including mice, rabbits, sheep, and goats – are used as ‘factories’ to generate large numbers of antibodies. An injection stimulates the animal’s immune system to produce specific types of antibodies – but this often causes harmful side effects before their blood is taken to harvest the antibodies. Animals are killed when they are no longer useful. Phage display technology – awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and endorsed in 2020 by the EU Reference Laboratory for alternatives to animal testing – can be used to produce a wide range of antibodies that are of higher quality, more stable, more relevant and more reproducible than the antibodies produced in animals. They are also much faster and cheaper to produce.
See the full RAT (Replace Animal Tests) List on our website.
Our Head of Public Affairs, Dylan Underhill, said: “People may assume that tests on animals which have non-animal replacements available are no longer conducted, or at least rarely – but the reality is that such tests can continue, and even increase long after the adoption of suitable alternative methods. It was great to see MPs engaging with the issues and statistics behind our RAT List – politicians can play a vital role in overcoming the problems which prevent the adoption of new non-animal tests. This isn’t just about science, it’s about political will too. With the government working on its manifesto commitment to phase-out animal testing, ending these six tests represents a significant but easily-achieved first step towards that aim.”
It’s getting closer to the time when the USDA comes into New Jersey to kill Canada geese. As we’ve mentioned in previous alerts, APLNJ has been reviewing USDA reports to see who contracts with them for geese management. This is the time of year when towns/businesses, etc. contract with the USDA, so writing NOW is critical.
We have reached out to all of them, sent information and visited the site with some. We’ve had success in steering some away from lethal towards nonlethal. But others are still hell-bent on allowing the killing (with a portable CO2 gas chamber).
The individuals you will be sending a letter to either allow the USDA, in partnership with Teterboro Airport in Bergen County, to come on their property, which lies in the flight path of airplanes, and round up and gas the geese OR have their own contract with USDA Wildlife Services to come in and kill.
Instead of allowing the USDA in year after year to kill, they all should be looking into habitat modification which is the clear winner when it comes to options for keeping geese out of a specific area. These methods are highly effective and provide better protection for air traffic areas. In fact, at best it’s irresponsible to not use the most effective methods, at worse, is can be dangerous, providing a false sense of security.
Please urge these entities to DENY THE USDA ACCESS to their property and schedule a site visit with Animal Protection League of New Jersey instead. Click here to send a letter.
And a second letter is going to those who have their own contract with USDA and we are asking them to CANCEL THE CONTRACT. Click here to send that letter.
Thank you.
Photo: David White/Can Geo Photo Club)
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/use-nonlethal-management-for-canada-geese-2
Published: May 05, 2025 at 02:30 PM Author: PENNY EIMS
Santa Ana, CA – On April 23, Santa Ana Police executed a search warrant at the home of Alejandro Acosta Oliveros in the 2300 block of W. Wilshire Avenue. The 45-year-old man found himself facing felony animal cruelty charges for abducting and killing what police say are “a lot” of cats in the area.
Via Santa Ana Police Department
Though Oliveros had “evidence” of killing cats inside his home, AND he confessed to slaying felines, he was released from custody shortly after being apprehended.
People living in the area where Oliveros abducted and killed cats are outraged that this CONFESSED cat killer is once again on the loose after posting bail. There are even reports from an area cat rescue that Oliveros has ALREADY killed another cat after being released from custody.
Residents had been reporting the cruel incidents to the authorities for weeks with victimized families sharing their horror stories on various social media outlets, including the Nextdoor neighborhood platform.
Families said Oliveros lured cats and then tortured and killed them in various ways. One person said, “Hello! I’m near El Salvador Park, and my neighbor’s cat was killed by a man who injected it with some sort of substance.” Another person said they found their cat hanging from a tree. People who witnessed Oliveros committing crimes say he lured cats with food, then stepped on them when they got close to him.
Cats slain/screengrab via Fox 11 News
This man is clearly a danger to cats in the area, and a danger to society as a whole. Animal Victory needs your support to show court officials that the prosecution of this man MUST be taken seriously. The District Attorney’s Office has told Animal Victory that a case number has not yet been assigned, but we will be working to ensure that this does not fall through the cracks. Please add your name to the petition today!
Target: Orange County District Attorney’s Office
WHY THIS PETITION MATTERS:
We, the undersigned, demand Alejandro Acosta Oliveros be held accountable for his cruel actions, resulting in the deaths of more than a dozen innocent cats. We collectively insist that this man NOT receive a plea deal – he is a dangerous individual who MUST be brought to justice.
Research has consistently shown a strong link between animal cruelty and human violence. Individuals who commit such heinous acts against animals often pose a threat to society as a whole, as animal abuse is frequently a precursor to other violent crimes. Failing to hold this man accountable not only denies justice for the suffering and death he caused but also endangers the community at large. It is imperative that we send a clear message that such cruelty will not be tolerated.
Individuals are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law. Animal Victory relies upon the authorities and the court system to determine guilt or innocence.
Note: Statement released from the Santa Ana Police about Oliveros’ release from jail, “The suspect in the recent animal cruelty investigation was arrested last week and he later posted bail. We recognize the strong emotions this case has generated and ask the public to please allow the judicial process to take its course.
PLEASE SIGN ON PAGE
Kruger Park rangers on the poisoning scene. (Photo: EWT)
Eighty-four vultures have been rescued after a mass poisoning event in the Kruger National Park, one of the largest incidents of its kind recorded in southern Africa.
An elephant carcass, laced with poison and surrounded by more than 100 dead vultures, marked one of the most devastating wildlife poisoning events yet seen in the Kruger National Park. Remote sensing triggered a scramble to save birds that were still alive.
In a coordinated emergency operation spanning helicopters, ambulances and nearly 24 hours of intensive care, 84 poisoned vultures were pulled back from the brink.
The operation this week was undertaken by a combined team of South African National Parks rangers and Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) officials in the park’s Mahlangeni Section, where the elephant carcass was found.
According to Gareth Tate, head of EWT’s Birds of Prey Programme, the organisation’s wildlife poisoning detection system triggered an alarm, flagging suspicious activity.
“The following morning, SANParks rangers conducted surveillance and uncovered a mass poisoning event involving more than 120 dead birds,” Tate said. “It was a shocking, gruesome scene.”
By 8.20am the joint team had arrived on site. They discovered 122 dead vultures, including 102 white-backed vultures, 20 Cape vultures and one lappet-faced vulture – all species listed as endangered or critically endangered. Several vultures were found alive but severely affected.
Tate described the rescue as a “world-class operation” involving two ground teams, helicopters, 12 vehicles and the EWT’s specialised Vulture Ambulance. Emergency treatment was administered in the field, including atropine to reverse the effects of the poison on the birds’ nervous systems, activated charcoal to bind toxins, fluid therapy and a procedure to flush and milk the vultures’ crops to remove ingested poison.
“We’ve developed a strict protocol over the years and we’ve achieved about a 98% success rate for birds found alive,” Tate explained. “Those first 24 hours are critical. If we can get them through that, they have a good chance of survival.”
Vultures were being deliberately targeted both to conceal illegal activities and to harvest body parts for the illegal wildlife trade and traditional medicine markets.
A total of 84 vultures were rescued alive. Of these, 45 were transported in the EWT’s mobile vulture ambulance and 39 were taken by helicopter to care facilities. Five of the rescued birds died despite treatment, but 83 remained alive as of the following morning, representing a 96% survival rate.
SANParks Pilot Bradford Grafton with one of the rescued vultures. (Photo: SANParks)
Eighty-four vultures have been rescued by a joint team of SANParks rangers and Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) following a devastating poisoning incident in the Kruger National Park. (Photo: EWT)
Reinforcements were swiftly deployed. Support teams from the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Briner Veterinary Services and Wildscapes Veterinary Services were mobilised within hours and worked through the night to stabilise each bird and keep them alive.
“This was one of the largest and most coordinated vulture rescues ever conducted in the region,” Tate said. “The collaboration between SANParks, vets, NGOs and rangers was remarkable.”
This is intentional genocide of vultures. It’s absolutely malicious and a silent killer.
The poisoning involved agricultural toxins placed on an elephant carcass, a method increasingly used by poachers to kill vultures that might otherwise alert rangers to poaching sites by circling overhead. Tate said vultures were being deliberately targeted both to conceal illegal activities and to harvest body parts for the illegal wildlife trade and traditional medicine markets.
“Vultures are being systematically removed from the landscape,” Tate warned. “This is intentional genocide of vultures. It’s absolutely malicious and a silent killer.”
He noted that vultures are also being poisoned to supply the traditional medicine, or muti, trade.
“They’re targeting vultures for their brains, heads and feet,” Tate said. “There’s even evidence that poisoned vulture parts are ending up in muti markets, meaning that toxic substances are being sold to unsuspecting users.”
Broader crisis
This incident forms part of a broader crisis facing vultures across southern Africa. The birds play a key role in ecosystems by consuming carcasses and reducing the spread of disease. Their absence leads to carcasses lingering longer in the environment, increasing the risk of disease transmission to other wildlife and humans.
The decline of vultures has been linked to knock-on effects seen in other regions: in India, the collapse of vulture populations due to veterinary drug poisoning led to a boom in feral dog numbers and a corresponding rise in rabies cases.
Kruger hosts at least five regular vulture species: the white-backed vulture (Gyps africanus), the most common; the Cape vulture (Gyps coprotheres), mainly found in the park’s north; the lappet-faced vulture (Torgos tracheliotos); the hooded vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus) and the rarely seen white-headed vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis). Each species occupies a niche at carcasses, forming an efficient clean-up system.
Each adult vulture killed is not just an immediate loss – it’s a loss of future generations.
However, their numbers are declining due to a number of pressures. Many species breed slowly, raising only one chick per year. Their nesting habitats are shrinking as large trees along rivers are lost, often from increased elephant activity. Without sufficient nesting sites, reproductive success drops. Poisoning events exacerbate these losses, wiping out breeding adults and chicks alike.
Poisoning incidents targeting vultures have increased. Poachers use pesticides like carbofuran, a highly toxic agricultural chemical, to lace carcasses. Vultures that feed on the poisoned remains are removed as natural sentinels from the ecosystem. Other scavengers, including jackals, lions, hyena and ground hornbills, also fall victim.
“Unlike targeted poaching of individual animals, poisoning takes out entire species indiscriminately,” Tate said. “Each adult vulture killed is not just an immediate loss – it’s a loss of future generations.”
Efforts to address the issue include increased patrols, training poison response teams and establishing artificial feeding sites to provide uncontaminated food. Conservationists stress that long-term solutions will require stronger regulation of agricultural poisons, improved enforcement against wildlife crime and engagement with communities living near protected areas.
Community outreach initiatives by the Kruger Park have begun, aiming to reduce demand for vulture parts in belief-based practices and build support for conservation. However, scaling these measures to meet the size of the problem remains a challenge.
Tate emphasised the need for stricter penalties for those responsible. “These individuals need to be caught and the penalties must reflect the seriousness of the crime – they’re killing critically endangered animals.”
Natural waste disposers
The rescued vultures continue to recover under veterinary care and will be released once they are fit to return to the wild. “Some of them are so strong that we’re planning to release them this Saturday,” Tate said.
Conservationists hope the surviving birds will resume their vital ecological role as natural waste disposers, limiting the spread of disease in the ecosystem. The poisoning incident highlights the vulnerability of vultures to deliberate targeting, the ecological consequences of their decline and the urgent need for interventions.
“Without vultures, carcasses take longer to decompose, leading to increased risks of disease,” Tate said. “Their loss disrupts a delicate balance. We need to act now to protect them.”
As the surviving vultures recover, conservationists warn that the battle to save these birds is ongoing. Preventing future poisonings, preserving nesting habitats and raising awareness about their ecological importance will be essential to ensure that vultures remain part of Kruger’s skies. Each circling silhouette is a sign that the clean-up crew is still at work, maintaining the health of the ecosystem for wildlife and humans alike.
DM
World Animals Voice 